Choir's guest stars to highlight Christmas concerts
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Audra McDonald, who has been compared by the New York Times to a young Barbra Streisand and by USA Today to a young Judy Garland, will be the featured guest artist for this year's Christmas concerts by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square.
Ms. McDonald, in her early 30s, has already distinguished herself as a Broadway star, concert performer, best-selling recording artist, and dramatic actress on the theater stage and on television. She has performed in the most prestigious concert halls, both nationally and internationally, and has received critical acclaim for several of her television roles, including the ABC/Disney production of "Annie" and her Emmy-nominated performance in the HBO film "Wit."
Peter Graves, best known as a lead in TV's "Mission: Impossible," will join the performances as guest narrator. He has appeared in more than 70 screen and TV films or series in his career.
"Having a young star of the stature of Audra McDonald join us for our Christmas concert is an absolute dream come true," said Craig Jessop, music director for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. "Not only has she made Broadway history by winning four Tony Awards at her young age, but she also is an Emmy-nominated actress. Her broad array of talents opens a wide range of creative doors for this year's Christmas program. We are very excited and honored to have her join us.
"We are also extremely pleased to have Peter Graves join us on stage as guest narrator. His famous voice will add greatly to this program."
The concert will feature Christmas songs, anthems and narrations appropriate for the season by the choir, Ms. McDonald, Mr. Graves and the Orchestra at Temple Square. As with each of the previous Christmas concerts, there will be new musical arrangements by one of the masters of Christmas music — the choir's associate director, Mack Wilberg — and "a few other surprises" promises Brother Jessop.
The Christmas concerts will be presented in the Conference Center on Thursday, Dec. 16 (preview performance) at 8 p.m.; Friday, Dec. 17, and Saturday, Dec. 18, both at 7:30 p.m.
The weekly half-hour CBS radio broadcast of "Music and the Spoken Word" on Sunday, Dec. 19, at 9:30 a.m. in the Conference Center will also feature Ms. McDonald and Mr. Graves as guest performers. It will be followed by a mini-concert with additional music from the concert program.
Brother Jessop and Brother Wilberg will conduct the choir and orchestra. John Longhurst, Clay Christiansen and Richard Elliott will accompany at the organ.
Free tickets for these concerts and the "Music and the Spoken Word" broadcast are required and will be available at the Conference Center Ticket Office and on the Internet at www.lds.org/events starting Tuesday, Nov. 9, at 10 a.m. MST. On Tuesday, Nov. 9, the line for patrons seeking tickets will form at door 12 of the Conference Center beginning at 8:30 a.m.
Standby tickets for those without tickets will not be issued. However, patrons are invited to stand by for last-minute seating each evening and on Sunday morning for the "Music and the Spoken Word" broadcast. The standby line will form at the North Gate on Temple Square at 6:00 p.m. for the evening performances and at 7:30 a.m. for the Sunday broadcast.
The doors of the Conference Center will open at 7 p.m. for the Dec. 16 preview performance, at 6 p.m. for the Dec. 17-18 performances and at 8 a.m. for the Dec. 19 broadcast.
The length of the evening performances will be approximately 90 minutes. The broadcast and mini-concert on Sunday should last roughly an hour. Seating is limited to those 8 years of age and older. Given the increase in traffic due to other scheduled downtown holiday events, guests are asked to allow extra time for travel and parking in order to be seated 30 minutes before the performances begin.
